Franchise Budget Question

[Unlucky 13]

Re: Franchise Budget Question

Alright, I hesitate to put this up because I haven't gathered much data yet, but hopefully it will at least give us a start. I've tried tracking the amount of money the game forces you to keep in reserve based on a number of factors. The variables that seem to matter right now are: Open 90-man spots, Open 40-man spots, # players arb eligible, # players renewable, and weekly cash flow.

The following analysis is based off only 11 data points so small sample and all that.

Spoiler

Some questionable p-values but we're looking at ~$1m for each open 90-man spot, ~$2m for each renewable player, ~$3.5m for each open 40-man spot, and ~$3m for each arb eligible player. Each additional $1m in weekly cash flow opens up about $16m to be spent on free agents.

I do believe the phase also matters. The analysis seems much more accurate when I restrict it to only Phase 2. In Phase 1 (exclusive FA), you can pretty much blow your whole budget. Again, though, not enough data yet to say definitively.

If anyone else is going through the off-season at all, please feel free to chime in with your numbers and I'll add them to the data set. I'll do some more simming of my own, hopefully this week.

I totally believe you and your data, but man those numbers seem high for the 90 man and renewables. I've long built my franchises around keeping anyone who's not yet on the 40 man below 150k, and those not on the MLB roster below 600k. As for guys who are on the MLB roster but renewable, then generally below 1m, and often below 700k also. Arbitration has always been a mysterious animal.

[Unlucky 13]

Re: Franchise Budget Question

A question for those who have gone through an offseason:

Are we now able to trade guys who ARE under team control but who are NOT under contract now? Obviously it wasn't possible before, but the bullet point notes from EA made it seem like it might be the case (like real life) now.

[sink4ever]

Re: Franchise Budget Question

I totally believe you and your data, but man those numbers seem high for the 90 man and renewables. I've long built my franchises around keeping anyone who's not yet on the 40 man below 150k, and those not on the MLB roster below 600k. As for guys who are on the MLB roster but renewable, then generally below 1m, and often below 700k also. Arbitration has always been a mysterious animal.

Yeah, need more data to really have any confidence in this but it's kind of interesting. I have pretty much the same strategy as you, which means that the game is probably overestimating how much I need in reserve. I'd prefer to keep aside whatever amount the arb players filed for + league minimum for each renewable player + some small amount for each open 90-man spot.

A question for those who have gone through an offseason:

Are we now able to trade guys who ARE under team control but who are NOT under contract now? Obviously it wasn't possible before, but the bullet point notes from EA made it seem like it might be the case (like real life) now.

I tried this the other day while simming and I'm about 95% sure you still cannot do this.

[Unlucky 13]

Re: Franchise Budget Question

Yeah, need more data to really have any confidence in this but it's kind of interesting. I have pretty much the same strategy as you, which means that the game is probably overestimating how much I need in reserve. I'd prefer to keep aside whatever amount the arb players filed for + league minimum for each renewable player + some small amount for each open 90-man spot.

I agree, and that makes perfect sense. Its a mystery as to why what you laid out ISN'T what you are forced to set aside. Even that would be erring on the side of caution.

I did not play 17, but I will say that as a big market club in 2016, using real life salaries that I adjusted, that I didn't have all that many problems, though they still did pop up. I'm curious to see how the bank and budget rollover play into that now. I currently have about 35 mil in budget room in May of year one.

[aterry]

Re: Franchise Budget Question

I agree, and that makes perfect sense. Its a mystery as to why what you laid out ISN'T what you are forced to set aside. Even that would be erring on the side of caution.

I did not play 17, but I will say that as a big market club in 2016, using real life salaries that I adjusted, that I didn't have all that many problems, though they still did pop up. I'm curious to see how the bank and budget rollover play into that now. I currently have about 35 mil in budget room in May of year one.

Is there some resource/thread/tutorial that actually explains what all this means? Its good to have these numbers and tremendous work just want to know what to do with it.

[Unlucky 13]

Re: Franchise Budget Question

Is there some resource/thread/tutorial that actually explains what all this means? Its good to have these numbers and tremendous work just want to know what to do with it.

There are threads that talk about it all in a general sense, yes. It shouldn't be too hard to find one using the search feature.

Broadly speaking:

25 man roster = players currently on the MLB club.

40 man roster = 25 man + 15 other minor leaguers who are allowed to be called up to MLB. If you want to promote someone due to skill or injury, he must be on the 40 man roster. If your 40 man roster is full and you want to add someone to it, you need to remove someone, which then exposes them to waivers where another team can claim them. Players on the 40 man roster make at least the MLB minimum salary, which is over 500k. It is not mandatory to have a full 40 man roster.

90 man roster = all the players that are in your MLB and minor league systems. This is different than in real life. The Show limits you to 25 players at MLB, AAA and AA, then 15 more at A which don't actually play games but can be promoted to AAA or AA if you choose. The game will not allow you to have more than 90 players in the system at any time. In the offseason, you will need to have fewer than 90 in order to sign any free agents. Player who are not on the 40 man will often make less than 100k.

There are rules that also need to be followed concerning service time once a player is in MLB, and once they reach a certain age in the minors if they haven't made MLB yet. I would research this either on the board or just do a google search for how it works in real life. In many cases, the game does a pretty good job of mirroring how things work.

[jmcole33]

Re: Franchise Budget Question

There are threads that talk about it all in a general sense, yes. It shouldn't be too hard to find one using the search feature.

Broadly speaking:

25 man roster = players currently on the MLB club.

40 man roster = 25 man + 15 other minor leaguers who are allowed to be called up to MLB. If you want to promote someone due to skill or injury, he must be on the 40 man roster. If your 40 man roster is full and you want to add someone to it, you need to remove someone, which then exposes them to waivers where another team can claim them. Players on the 40 man roster make at least the MLB minimum salary, which is over 500k. It is not mandatory to have a full 40 man roster.

90 man roster = all the players that are in your MLB and minor league systems. This is different than in real life. The Show limits you to 25 players at MLB, AAA and AA, then 15 more at A which don't actually play games but can be promoted to AAA or AA if you choose. The game will not allow you to have more than 90 players in the system at any time. In the offseason, you will need to have fewer than 90 in order to sign any free agents. Player who are not on the 40 man will often make less than 100k.

There are rules that also need to be followed concerning service time once a player is in MLB, and once they reach a certain age in the minors if they haven't made MLB yet. I would research this either on the board or just do a google search for how it works in real life. In many cases, the game does a pretty good job of mirroring how things work.

Speaking of the rules you mentioned, do you or anyone else know if there is a copy of the "Transaction/Player Handbook" (I forget the name) online somewhere? I know it's in the game, but I would like to be able to study up while I'm in-game or not with my PS4.

[sink4ever]

Re: Franchise Budget Question

Ehhh . . . scratch my first pass at predicting how much the game makes you keep in reserve when signing free agents. Gathered some more data and found some erroneous assumptions on my part. Still a ways to go before I have anything concrete, but it's looking like a much more reasonable system now. Right now it looks like it's setting aside the amount filed by arb-eligible players, roughly $1m for each open 90-man spot, and ~$800k for each renewable player.

[tabarnes19_SDS]

Re: Franchise Budget Question

Ehhh . . . scratch my first pass at predicting how much the game makes you keep in reserve when signing free agents. Gathered some more data and found some erroneous assumptions on my part. Still a ways to go before I have anything concrete, but it's looking like a much more reasonable system now. Right now it looks like it's setting aside the amount filed by arb-eligible players, roughly $1m for each open 90-man spot, and ~$800k for each renewable player.

If they want to set money aside there really should be a menu set showing the allocation. As each position is filled above or below that money is reduced or added to your yearly pool. A simple menu with

Team budget 150 million

Total available money 30mil

Arbitration
1.3 mil
2.
3....etc

Renew
1. 800k
2.
3...etc

Right now it is so vague and not user friendly. Weekly cash flow, yearly....no known commodity.

Needs to be refreshed.

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[sink4ever]

Re: Franchise Budget Question

If they want to set money aside there really should be a menu set showing the allocation. As each position is filled above or below that money is reduced or added to your yearly pool. A simple menu with

Team budget 150 million

Total available money 30mil

Arbitration
1.3 mil
2.
3....etc

Renew
1. 800k
2.
3...etc

Right now it is so vague and not user friendly. Weekly cash flow, yearly....no known commodity.

Needs to be refreshed.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Yeah, more clarity is needed and I'd prefer more control given to the user as well. Even in '17 I was able to offer a lot more to free agents by waiting to offer contracts/arbitration to arb/renewal players until the last day possible.

[Unlucky 13]

Re: Franchise Budget Question

Ehhh . . . scratch my first pass at predicting how much the game makes you keep in reserve when signing free agents. Gathered some more data and found some erroneous assumptions on my part. Still a ways to go before I have anything concrete, but it's looking like a much more reasonable system now. Right now it looks like it's setting aside the amount filed by arb-eligible players, roughly $1m for each open 90-man spot, and ~$800k for each renewable player.

That does seem more reasonable. It makes me wonder about the first stages of the offseason, though. Generally, one of the first things that I'll do in the first offseason of a franchise is to cut the fat, and release players on the 90 man roster who have absolutely no future in the club. Guys who are in their late 20s or older, but rated in the 50s with D progression. This clears up spots on the 90 man that can be used better, either by making some 3 for 1 trades for prospects, or by signing young players in the later stages of free agency.

However, if by cutting those guys, I'm costing myself 1m in budget room during the early stages for each spot that I open up, as opposed to about 100k for keeping them around, then I wonder if its worth taking the loss when cutting them after the initial free agent period, if that means that you would have a net gain of 10m in budget room or so?

[Caulfield]

Re: Franchise Budget Question

Has anybody using real contracts know what the competitive balance tax threshold is or if it's close to the real threshold of 197 million?

[sink4ever]

Re: Franchise Budget Question

That does seem more reasonable. It makes me wonder about the first stages of the offseason, though. Generally, one of the first things that I'll do in the first offseason of a franchise is to cut the fat, and release players on the 90 man roster who have absolutely no future in the club. Guys who are in their late 20s or older, but rated in the 50s with D progression. This clears up spots on the 90 man that can be used better, either by making some 3 for 1 trades for prospects, or by signing young players in the later stages of free agency.

However, if by cutting those guys, I'm costing myself 1m in budget room during the early stages for each spot that I open up, as opposed to about 100k for keeping them around, then I wonder if its worth taking the loss when cutting them after the initial free agent period, if that means that you would have a net gain of 10m in budget room or so?

It might depend on what they're making. You could always sign a handful of guys early at 70k each and then cut them as needed to free up room.

[Unlucky 13]

Re: Franchise Budget Question

I would say that my contracts are between 95-99% correct for players on all 40 man rosters, both in amount and in length. The tax level in my franchise is 225m.

[towncryer3921]

Re: Franchise Budget Question

So far I haven't run into too much trouble with the budgets but this need a serious overhaul next year.

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